


Spark

by Tarlan



Category: Primeval
Genre: Episode Tag, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 04:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1115561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After so much death, he needed to feel alive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fredbassett](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fredbassett/gifts).



Losing Stephen had been the equivalent of a body blow for the ARC Team and Lester watched as Cutter took it harder than most. After Helen's revelation concerning her and Stephen, Lester had been forced to deal with a few trust issues between the two men. Fortunately they had worked it out, though Lester was no fool. He knew that if this revelation had taken place before Cutter had discovered and come to terms with Helen's duplicity then this betrayal would have had far great consequences and caused irreparable damage.

Instead, it was Stephen who had widened the already gaping hole in their lives from the loss of Captain Ryan.

After the funeral, Lester ordered everyone to go home unless called back for another anomaly. Of course, he had no such plans for himself as, callous though it might sound, any death left him with a massive amount of paperwork, and he didn't want to trust this particular task to anyone but himself. He wanted to ensure no one had any reason to find reproach with anyone who had died because of Oliver Leek, and least of all Stephen. He owed Stephen that much - and far more besides.

Sitting in his office with just the one desk light illuminating the room, he found a momentary reprieve in silence, closing his eyes for a moment to give himself time to think clearly for the first time in what seemed like forever. It was late, and a sound had him straightening in his seat, feeling nervous as his memories returned to the events of less than a week ago when he'd found himself alone with everyone either out with Cutter - or dead. He was determined not to allow that fear to stop him though, preferring to confront it.

Standing up, he moved to the floor to ceiling window overlooking the operations center of the ARC, relieved when he saw the sentry on duty.

Moments later he was surprised to see Cutter slowly walking across the main floor, head down. Chewing thoughtfully on his lower lip, Lester came to a decision and left the sanctuary of his office. He found Cutter in his office sifting through a stack of files holding anomaly data.

"Cutter?"

"Nick."

"I'm sorry?"

Cutter... Nick looked over at him. "I think we've earned first name terms by now... James."

"Ah yes. Shared danger and loss. The building blocks of camaraderie."

He hadn't meant his words to sound sarcastic but Nick flicked annoyance at him anyway. Lester sighed and sank into the seat opposite Nick's, frowning when Nick got up and moved around the desk, sweeping some of the clutter onto the floor nonchalantly, as if brushing away a little dirt from his collar. He sat down on the corner of the desk and stared hard at Lester, but Lester had yet to feel intimidated by anyone. Angered, frustrated, irritated... but never intimidated.

A hand reached out and brushed over his chest gently.

"How's the wound?"

Lester reached up and rubbed gently at where the skin itched. The slash from the future predator had not gone too deep, requiring only a few stitches, which would dissolve in a few days; the benefits of private health care.

"Healing."

Nick nodded and walked back around his desk, opening a drawer and pulling out a bottle of Scotch. He displayed the bottle and its label in invitation, but even if it had been a cheap supermarket multi-blend, Lester would still have nodded. He waited as Nick poured a generous amount into two mugs and brought them back round the desk, offering one mug to Lester.

It was a single malt. Not the best but palatable, and exactly what he needed... or so he thought until Nick leaned in and kissed him.

He could taste the scotch on Nick's lips and licked his own thoughtfully. The lack of an adverse reaction seemed to be all Nick needed, for he leaned in and kissed him again. Momentary fear overtook Lester; fear of the unknown, fear of taking a risk with his heart and with this man, but it all faded as the kiss deepened.

He needed this small affirmation of life after so much death.

Later, perhaps he might have regrets, or perhaps they would pretend nothing had happened between them, but for now it was a little spark of happiness against the bleak back drop of grief. A little light in the darkness surrounding them.

For now, it was enough to make him feel alive.

END


End file.
